绿里奇迹(英文版)-第64章

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Brutal　opened　the　double　locks　on　the　cell；　and　gave　John　a　gentle　push　inside。　〃Go　on；　now；　big　boy。　Rest　awhile。　You　earned　it。　We'll　just　settle　Percy's　hash〃　
〃He's　a　bad　man；〃　John　said　in　a　low；　mechanical　voice。　
〃That's　right；　no　doubt；　wicked　as　a　warlock；〃　Brutal　agreed　in　his　most　soothing　voice；　〃but　don't　you　worry　a　smidge　about　him；　we're　not　going　to　let　him　near　you。　You　just　ease　down　on　that　bunk　of　yours　and　I'll　have　that　cup　of　coffee　to　you　in　no　time。　Hot　and　strong。　You'll　feel　like　a　new　man。〃　
John　sat　heavily　on　his　bunk。　I　thought　he'd　fall　back　on　it　and　roll　to　the　wall　as　he　usually　did；　but　he　just　sat　there　for　the　time　being；　hands　clasped　loosely　between　his　knees；　head　lowered；　breathing　hard　through　his　mouth。　The　St。　Christopher's　medal　Melinda　had　given　him　had　fallen　out　of　the　top　of　his　shirt　and　swung　back　and　forth　in　the　air。　He'll　keep　you　safe；　that's　what　she'd　told　him；　but　John　Coffey　didn't　look　a　bit　safe。　He　looked　like　he　had　taken　Melinda's　place　on　the　lip　of　that　grave　Harry　had　spoken　of。　
But　I　couldn't　think　about　John　Coffey　just　then　I　turned　around　to　the　others。　〃Dean；　get　Percy's　pistol　and　hickory　stick。〃　
〃Okay。〃　He　went　back　up　to　the　desk；　unlocked　the　drawer　with　the　gun　and　the　stick　in　it；　and　brought　them　back。　
〃Ready？〃　I　asked　them。　My　men　…　good　men；　and　was　never　prouder　of　them　than　I　was　that　night；　nodded。　Harry　and　Dean　both　looked　nervous；　Brutal　as　stolid　as　ever。　〃Okay。　I'm　going　to　do　the　talking。　The　less　the　rest　of　you　open　your　mouths；　the　better　it'll　probably　be　and　the　quicker　it'll　probably　wrap　up　。。。　for　better　or　worse。　Okay？〃　
They　nodded　again。　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　walked　down　to　the　Green　Mile　restraint　room。　
Percy　looked　up；　squinting；　when　the　light　fell　on　him。　He　was　sitting　on　the　floor　and　licking　at　the　tape　I　had　slapped　across　his　mouth。　The　part　I'd　wound　around　to　the　back　of　his　head　had　e　free　（probably　the　sweat　and　brilliantine　in　his　hair　had　loosened　it）；　and　he'd　gotten　a　ways　toward　getting　the　rest　off；　as　well。　Another　hour　and　he　would've　been　bawling　for　help　at　the　top　of　his　lungs。　
He　used　his　feet　to　shove　himself　a　little　way　backward　when　we　came　in；　then　stopped；　no　doubt　realizing　that　there　was　nowhere　to　go　except　for　the　southeast　corner　of　the　room。　
I　took　his　gun　and　stick　from　Dean　and　held　them　out　in　Percy's　direction。　〃Want　these　back？〃　I　asked。　
He　looked　at　me　warily；　then　nodded　his　head。　
〃Brutal；〃　I　said。　〃Harry。　Get　him　on　his　feet。〃　
They　bent；　hooked　him　under　the　canvas　arms　of　the　straitjacket；　and　up　he　came。　I　moved　toward　him　until　we　were　almost　nose　to　nose。　I　could　smell　the　sour　sweat　in　which　he'd　been　basting。　Some　of　it　probably　came　from　his　efforts　to　get　free　of　the　quiet…down　coat；　or　to　administer　the　occasional　kicks　to　the　door　Dean　had　heard；　but　I　thought　most　of　his　sweat　had　e　as　a　result　of　plain　old　fear：　fear　of　what　we　might　do　to　him　when　we　came　back。　
I'll　be　okay；　they　ain't　killers；　Percy　would　think。。。　and　then；　maybe；　he'd　think　of　Old　Sparky　and　it　would　cross　his　mind　that　yes；　in　a　way　we　were　killers。　I'd　done　seventy…seven　myself；　more　than　any　of　the　men　I'd　ever　put　the　chest…strap　on；　more　than　Sergeant　York　himself　got　credit　for　in　World　War　I。　Killing　Percy　wouldn't　be　logical；　but　we'd　already　behaved　illogically；　he　would　have　told　himself　as　he　sat　there　with　his　arms　behind　him；　working　with　his　tongue　to　get　the　tape　off　his　mouth。　And　besides；　logic　most　likely　doesn't　have　much　power　over　a　person's　thoughts　when　that　person　is　sitting　on　the　floor　of　a　room　with　soft　walls；　wrapped　up　as　neat　and　tight　as　any　spider　ever　wrapped　a　fly。　
Which　is　to　say；　if　I　didn't　have　him　where　I　wanted　now；　I　never　would。　
〃I'll　take　the　tape　off　your　mouth　if　you　promise　not　to　start　yowling；〃　I　said。　〃I　want　to　have　a　talk　with　you；　not　a　shouting　match。　So　what　do　you　say？　Will　you　be　quiet？〃　
I　saw　relief　e　up　in　his　eyes　as　he　realized　that；　if　I　wanted　to　talk；　he　really　did　stand　a　good　chance　of　getting　out　of　this　with　a　whole　skin。　He　nodded　his　head。　
〃If　you　start　noising　off；　the　tape　goes　back　on；〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　understand　that；　too？〃　
Another　nod；　rather　impatient　this　time。　
I　reached　up；　grabbed　the　end　of　the　runner　he'd　worked　loose；　and　gave　it　a　hard　yank。　It　made　a　loud　peeling　sound。　Brutal　winced。　Percy　yipped　with　pain　and　began　rubbing　his　lips。　He　tried　to　speak；　realized　he　couldn't　do　it　with　a　hand　over　his　mouth；　and　lowered　it。　
〃Get　me　out　of　this　nut…coat；　you　lugoon；〃　he　spat。　
〃In　a　minute；〃　I　said。　
〃Now！　Now！　Right　n…〃　
I　slapped　his　face。　It　was　done　before　I'd　even　known　I　was　going　to　do　it　。。。　but　of　course　I'd　known　it　might　e　to　that。　Even　back　during　the　first　talk　about　Percy　that　I'd　had　with　Warden　Moores；　the　one　where　Hal　advised　me　to　put　Percy　out　for　the　Delacroix　execution；　I'd　known　it　might　e　to　that。　A　man's　hand　is　like　an　animal　that's　only　half…tame；　mostly　it's　good；　but　sometimes　it　escapes　and　bites　the　first　thing　it　sees。　
The　sound　was　a　sharp　snap；　like　a　breaking　branch。　Dean　gasped。　Percy　stared　at　me　in　utter　shock；　his　eyes　so　wide　they　looked　as　if　they　must　fall　out　of　their　sockets。　His　mouth　opened　and　closed；　opened　and　closed；　like　the　mouth　of　a　fish　in　an　aquarium　tank。　
〃Shut　up　and　listen　to　me；〃　I　said。　〃You　deserved　to　be　punished　for　what　you　did　to　Del；　and　we　gave　you　what　you　deserved。　This　was　the　only　way　we　could　do　it。　We　all　agreed；　except　for　Dean；　and　he'll　go　along　with　us；　because　we'll　make　him　sorry　if　he　doesn't。　Isn't　that　so；　Dean？〃　
〃Yes；〃　Dean　whispered。　He　was　milk…pale。　〃Guess　it　is。〃　
〃And　we'll　make　you　sorry　you　were　ever　born；〃　
I　went　on。　〃We'll　see　that　people　know　about　how　you　sabotaged　the　Delacroix　execution　…　〃　
〃Sabotaged…！〃　
〃how　you　almost　got　Dean　killed。　We'll　blab　enough　to　keep　you　out　of　almost　any　job　your　uncle　can　get　you。〃　
Percy　was　shaking　his　head　furiously。　He　didn't　believe　that；　perhaps　couldn't　believe　that。　My　handprint　stood　out　on　his　pale　cheek　like　a　fortune…teller's　sign。　
〃And　no　matter　what；　we'd　see　you　beaten　within　an　inch　of　your　life。　We　wouldn't　have　to　do　it　ourselves。　We　know　people；　too；　Percy；　are　you　so　foolish　you　don't　realize　that？　They　aren't　up　in　the　state　capital；　but　they　still　know　how　to　legislate　certain　matters。　These　are　people　who　have　friends　in　here；　people　who　have　brothers　in　here；　people　who　have　fathers　in　here。　They'd　be　happy　to　amputate　the　nose　or　the　penis　of　a　shitheels　like　you。　They'd　do　it　just　so　someone　they　care　for　could　get　an　extra　three　hours　in　the　exercise　yard　each　week。〃　
Percy　had　stopped　shaking　his　head。　Now　he　was　only　staring。　Tears　stood　in　his　eyes；　but　didn't　fall。　I　think　they　were　tears　of　rage　and　frustration。　Or　maybe　I　just　hoped　they　were。　
〃Okay　…　now　look　on　the　sunny　side；　Percy。　Your　lips　sting　a　little　from　having　the　tape　pulled　off　them；　I　imagine；　but　otherwise　there's　nothing　hurt　but　your　pride　。。。　and　nobody　needs　to　know　about　that　but　the　people　in　this　room　right　now。　And　we'll　never　tell；　will　we；　boys？〃　
They　shook　their　heads。　〃Course　not；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Green　Mile　business　stays　on　the　Green　Mile。　Always　has。〃　
〃You're　going　on　to　Briar　Ridge　and　we're　going　to　leave　you　alone　until　you　go；〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　want　to　leave　it　at　that；　Percy；　or　do　you　want　to　play　hardball　with　us？〃　
There　was　a　long；　long　silence　as　he　considered。　
I　could　almost　see　the　wheels　turning　in　his　head　as　he　tried　out　and　rejected　possible　counters。　And　at　last；　I　think　a　more　basic　truth　must　have　overwhelmed　the　rest　of　his　calculations：　the　tape　was　off　his　mouth；　but　he　was　still　wearing　the　straitjacket　and　probably　he　had　to　piss　like　a　racehorse。　
〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　consider　the　matter　closed。　Now　get　me　out　of　this　coat。　It　feels　like　my　shoulders　are　…　〃　
Brutal　stepped　forward；　shouldering　me　aside；　and　grabbed　Percy's　face　with　one　big　hand　…　fingers　denting　in　Percy's　right　cheek；　thumb　making　a　deep　dimple　in　his　left。　
〃In　a　few　seconds；〃　he　said。　〃First；　you　listen　to　me。　Paul　here　is　the　big　boss；　and　so　he　has　to　talk　elegant　sometimes。〃　
I　tried　to　remember　anything　elegant　I　might've　said　to　Percy　and　couldn't　e　up　with　much。　Still；　I　thought　it　might　be　best　to　keep　my　mouth　shut；　Percy　looked　suitably　terrorized；　and　I　didn't　want　to　spoil　the　effect。　
〃People　don't　always　understand　that　being　elegant　isn't　the　same　as　being　soft；　and　that's　where　I　e　in。　I　don't　worry　about　being　elegant。　I　just　say　things　straight　out。　So　here　it　is；　straight　out：　if　you　go　back　on　your　promise；　we'll　most　likely　take　an　ass…fucking。　But　then　we'll　find　you　…　if　we　have　to　go　all　the　way　to　Russia；　we'll　find　you　…　and　we　will　fuck　you；　not　just　up　the　ass　but　in　every　hole　you　own。　We'll　fuck　you　until　you'll　wish　you　were　dead；　and　then　we'll　rub　vinegar　in　the　parts　that　are　bleeding。　Do　you　understand　me？〃　
He　nodded。　With　Brutal's　hand　digging　into　the　soft　sides　of　his　face　the　way　it　was；　Percy　looked　eerily　like　Old　Toot…Toot。　
Brutal　let　go　of　him　and　stepped　back。　I　nodded　to　Harry；　who　went　behind　Percy　and　started　unsnapping　and